Talking To Tootsie Tonasket On The Last Day Of 2012 In Chilly Drippy Texas

The last day of 2012, New Year's Eve Day, is being a drizzly, chilly dripper at my location in North Texas.

In the picture you are looking through my windshield, heading east on John T. White Road, on my way to Walmart to get my New Year's Eve Party supplies.

I'd not talked to Tootsie Tonasket in quite some time. Tootsie called me on Christmas and left a voice mail. I called Tootsie back and got voice mail. But, today I called again and Tootsie Tonasket answered.

The past several months I've gotten multiple messages from Tootsie's Facebook Friends worried about her disappearance from Facebook. Tootsie has been involved in a Civil War with her ex-husband, with Facebook being one of the battleground casualties.

Changing the subject from Tootsie Tonasket to something else.

Yesterday I blogged about a Mystery Photo. By day's end, yesterday, some of the mystery was no longer mysterious.

My mom called late in the afternoon. I mentioned that I'd found a photo from 1997, with the whole family in the picture, but I can't figure out where it was taken. Without missing a beat my mom says "Is that the picture without Jeremy in it?"

"Yes" said I.

That picture was taken at Jackie's house, my mom then told me. But, my mom did not remember what the occasion was. Or who took the picture. Or why Jeremy was not in it.

Then I got email from Spencer Jack's dad, also confirming that the photo was taken at sister Jackie's house, but also not remembering the reason we were all there, or who took the picture. Spencer Jack's dad and I exchanged a couple emails and then he called. Talking did not get us any closer to remembering any more details about the Mystery Photo.

Then I heard from Blue & Max, Tacoma's Adventure Poodles, relaying a message from my little sister, also confirming this picture was taken at sister Jackie's, but also not remembering why we were all there. But adding the speculation that the reason Jeremy was not in the picture was because he was being a bit of a pill.

I don't know if "bit of a pill" is universal slang or a Northwest idiom. It means being a bit of a brat.

I don't know how long my New Year's Eve Partying is going to last. I don't remember the last time I made it til midnight. I know for sure I am not going to Dallas, to Victory Park, where, supposedly, the biggest New Year's Eve Party in the middle part of the country is going to take place tonight.

Perplexed By A Photo From The Last Century While Getting Lost In My Closet

I  was rummaging through my closet today, trying to find thermal underwear, to no avail, when I came across the photo you see on the left.

The back of the photo indicates it was taken in September of 1997, a little over a year before my exile in Texas began.

From the left, back row, we have my brother, me, Spencer Jack's dad, my mom, my dad, big sister, middle sister and my favorite brother-in law.

From the left, front row, nephew CJ, Spencer Jack's uncle Joey, my little sister and my ex-wife, Spencer Jack's namesake.

Where was this picture taken? Beside it obviously being in Washington, obvious due to the big evergreen trees, whose house is this? I'm very perplexed.

And where is CJ's brother, my nephew JR?

When this picture was taken I believe my relatives were all getting along with each other, relatively well. Over the course of the 15 years since this picture was taken a lot of relative dysfunction has set in. Near as I can tell, the prime dysfunction instigator is my aforementioned big sister, who only recently added me to the list of those to whom she does not speak. Or "Friend" on Facebook.

My brother was between wives when this picture was taken. A short while after I moved to Texas my brother married a nice new wife. Since then my brother and his nice new wife moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. Also in Arizona are my middle sister, my favorite brother-in-law and nephews CJ and JR. My mom and dad also moved to Arizona, first to Yuma, then to the Phoenix suburb of Sun Lakes, near the Phoenix suburb of Chandler, where my middle sister and favorite brother-in-law live.

My only close relatives who remain in Washington are my little sister, my dysfunctional big sister and my nephews and niece, half of whom I have not yet met, that being nephews David and Theo and niece, Ruby.

In addition to wondering whose house we are at in this picture, who took the picture? Why were we all together in one place in September of 1997. That usually happened only on holidays or funerals. And never in September, that I can recall.

As for trying to find my missing thermal underwear. I give up.

I did not have a walk in closet til I moved to Texas. Closets in Texas are just one more example of how everything is bigger here. My first walk in Texas closet was long and narrow. My current walk in Texas closet is long and wide. There are two large chests of drawers in there, 3 filing cabinets, two rows of rods to hang hangers on,  plus a lot of shelves. I could turn this walk in closet into another bedroom if I needed one. No wonder I lose stuff in there.

No Soft Toss At Gateway Park While Regretting Not Getting Parking Lot Tamales At Town Talk

On this final Saturday of 2012 I stopped in at Gateway Park on my way to Town Talk. I thought I might be able to endure the almost freezing temperature long enough to have myself some salubrious outdoor air exposure.

However, two long-sleeved layers on top did not provide a sufficient buffer from the cold. I walked around two of the Gateway Park ballfields and then returned to the shelter of my vehicle.

Can anyone explain to me what the "NO SOFT TOSS" signs mean that are attached to the Gateway Park ballpark fences at regular intervals?

I forgot to mention, on my way to Gateway Park, driving west on Randol Mill Road, east of the entry to Quanah Park Park, I saw what appeared to be Mr. Hometown by Handlebar, pedaling east.

I think I need to go hunting in my closet for my thermal long underwear so that I might be able to go biking in these icy winter conditions.

Today at Town Talk I was left feeling very Ebeneezer Scrooge-ish.

Pretty much every Saturday I get approached in the Town Talk parking lot and asked if I would like to buy some tamales. 5 for $5. I think that is the price quoted. I always politely say "no thank you."

Buying tamales at a parking lot seems like a bad idea to me.

So, today this little guy, speaking very heavily accented English, asked me if I'd like to buy some tamales. I think he said something like "5 for $5, 12 for $10, beef or chicken," but I'm not sure.

The little guy was smiling cute as he talked to me.

I said my usual "No thank you" and then asked "Do you make the tamales?"

"No, senor, my mama makes the tamales."

I asked, "Are they real good?"

"Si, senor, very good tamales."

As this dialogue was taking place the little guy was helping me load my Town Talk stuff from the cart to my vehicle. All the while smiling.

Then he said "Goodbye senor, I'll take your cart for you," or words to that effect.

I then watched as the little guy, shorter than the cart, wheeled it back into Town Talk.

Then I started feeling like a jerk, feeling bad, as in why didn't I give the kid a couple bucks? Or buy 5 bucks worth of tamales. The tamales can't be bad, what with them being sold at this location every Saturday, year round.

So, next Saturday, I will be buying myself some Town Talk parking lot tamales, if that little guy is back hawking them.

Escaping The Texas Drizzle By Treasure Hunting In My Closest

In the post noon time frame, on the 4th day before the end of 2012, it would appear, judging from my patio view of the outer world, that 2012 is choosing to go out with a drizzly whimper at my location on the planet.

Drizzle, with wind and only air heated to only 5 degrees above freezing.

Today this cold drizzle afforded me the rare opportunity, or more accurately, need, to wear one of the sweaters I imported from the Pacific Northwest, when I moved to Texas.

Neither my sweaters or my flannel long-sleeved shirts get a lot of use in Texas. I actually forget I have these items til a big chill causes me to dig deep into my disorganized closet. This morning's dig discovered a long forgotten pair of brown cargo pants. Venturing into my closet is sort of a treasure hunt. I also found some computer speakers with a big woofer I'd forgotten I had.

I seem to have had myself a bit of a relapse in the respiratory woes department. The woes may have been exacerbated by this on the ocean like drizzle that is currently plaguing this usually drizzle-free zone.

At some point in time I am sure warm air will return to Texas. Maybe not this year, but next year, for sure. I hope.

A Snowy Walk In The Village Creek Natural Historical Area Thinking About Crabs & Oysters

It was still freezing when I walked to the Village Creek Blue Bayou Overlook in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area today, to look at the Blue Bayou and the snow that remained on the ground.

The temperature is now 10 degrees above freezing, at my location, with most of the snow that had been remaining on the ground, now melted..

The Viral Annoyance that has been annoying me the past several days this morning had greatly lessened, pretty much going, overnight, from High Annoyance to Low Annoyance.

I heard from the mama of my youngest nephews and niece this morning, informing that they have all been having ailment woes. Reading about those woes made my woes seem to pale by comparison. For instance, I have feared it happening, but I have never projectile vomited on an airplane, that I can recollect.

I figure in a few days I should be back to full strength. Just in time for New Year's Eve.

I watched last night's episode of Top Chef Seattle whilst having Chinese food for lunch. Top Chef filming in the part of the world with which I am most familiar is being interesting. This episode started off with the Quickfire Challenge directing the chefs to drive to an address on Chuckanut Drive in Bow, Washington.

Those watching, not familiar with Washington, would think this must be a short drive from Seattle. The editing made it look like a short drive, but, the reality is, it is about 70 miles or more north of Seattle, heading north on I-5, til you get to my old hometown of Burlington, in the Skagit Valley, then exiting on to Chuckanut Drive, continuing north to Bow, where the chefs gathered oysters in Samish Bay. Then all the way back to Seattle to make a food item out of the oysters. Seems like this would have been an exhausting day.

And why did the chefs not stop at Sakuma Bros. Farms & Market Stand which they would have passed shortly after exiting I-5?

The chefs did seem to be appropriately enchanted by the scenery they were seeing. I have not been in that particular location since early August of 2008, when David, Theo and Ruby's mom drove me to Bow, and Edison, on the way to meet Spencer Jack at Bayview State Park.

Top Chef Seattle is making me homesick. For crabs, oysters, salmon and fresh berries of a wide variety. Along with mountains, fresh air and a lot of saltwater.

Checking Out One Of My Woodhaven Neighborhood Chesapeake Restoration Projects

Months ago one of my neighborhood Chesapeake Energy Barnett Shale Natural Gas Pad Sites started up the long process of inserting pipe underground so non-odorized natural gas could be moved to another location.

As part of that pipe laying operation Chesapeake Energy removed the Woodhaven sign that sat at the northwest corner of Bridgewood and Boca Raton. This had been a landscaped brick installation.

When this was removed I wondered how it is that Chesapeake Energy gets permission to do such things. Is is some variant of abusing eminent domain? Quite a large area was bulldozed, heavy equipment brought in, noise abatement walls installed. A big mess.

And then, to my pleased surprise, when Chesapeake finished with its pipeline laying operation a crew arrived and quickly restored the Woodhaven sign to its former glory. Well, actually, I think it is better than before, with a lot more landscaping.

A lot more landscaping, plus one thing that was not at this location previously. That being the white sign on the yellow post.

The sign informs us that this is now a Chesapeake "Cathodic Protection Test Station."

And, "In Case Of An Emergency Call 1-800-566-9306/"

What sort of emergency? Something Cathodic that has escaped that we need protection from?

What is a Cathodic Protection Test Station I can not help but wonder. Let's see if Googling relieves me of my wonderment.

Well, Googling Cathodic Protection Test Station brought up a lot of businesses trying to sell a test product.

Near as I could tell Cathodic Protection has something to do with preventing or detecting corrosion. I assume it is the metal of the pipeline we are worried about corroding, due to the extremely corrosive nature of the un-odorized wet gas flowing through the pipe.

I guess I should be relieved to have a Cathodic Protection Test Station so close to where I live.

Have A Wonderful Christmas Even Though You Have No Snow In Texas

This may be my final Holiday Season Themed blogging of the Holiday Season. We can only hope.

When my mom called on Sunday she asked if I'd gotten a card from them. I said I had. Mom asked if I'd opened it. I said I had not. I said I was saving it to open for Christmas, thus giving me something to look forward to.

And then a few minutes ago I realized I'd still not opened the Christmas card from my mom and dad. Or one from my favorite aunt and uncle who live in Ohio.

The card from my aunt and uncle in Ohio turned out to have been rendered very ironic by today's events in Texas.

To the sentence, "Have a wonderful Christmas" my aunt added "even tho you have no snow."

I read I "have no snow" as I looked out the window at what looks like a blizzard of sideways blowing snow.

A Much Whiter Christmas Than Expected Has Arrived In Texas

The weather predictor's predictions for Christmas for North Texas have only erred in underplaying the magnitude and length of the thunderstorm that began Christmas, with the light rain turning out to be a deluge and the slight chance of a little snow in the D/FW Metroplex turning out to be a lot of snowflakes falling, for over an hour now.

With the temperature currently 30 and continuing to drop.

As you can see, via the view from my pool overlook patio, snow is sticking to the trees. The ground is still resisting getting white.

I think a lot more rain fell than what was predicted, a lot of which was still wet on the ground when the freeze started. Will we be an icy mess by morning? I suspect so.

I don't have snow tires on the Smart Car I did not get for Christmas. So, I am not good to drive in the snow.

As you can see, the forecast is a bit chilly the next 5 days. I  see no hill hiking in my immediate future.

Or swimming.

If I can find my cross-country skis and deem them ski-worthy, I may be able to go skiing tomorrow morning.

Merry Stormy Christmas In Texas

The above photo of the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth, taken last night by Brian Luenser, seen by me this morning, due to Pete Charlton putting it on Facebook, appears to provide photo evidence that the Santa Claus myth is real.

However, I have found no presents hiding anywhere in my abode this morning and I made certain that my fireplace was totally obstruction free.

Judging by the somewhat clear sky, Santa flew over downtown Fort Worth before the arrival of the storm that has been banging big booms for hours.

The predicted Thunderstorm is Part 1 of the predicted Christmas Day Storm that the predictors have predicted for North Texas. Part 2 is scheduled to arrive this afternoon with continuing rain rapidly chilled by a rapidly chilling temperature, chilling, eventually, down into the teens, with the rain turning into white snowflakes at some point in time this Christmas Day.

I hope everyone will have themselves a very Merry Christmas.

Thunder Lightning Snow Ice Rain & Wind On Schedule For North Texas For Christmas

I am up early this morning of Christmas Eve, slightly optimistic that I might be having myself a small Christmas Miracle in the form of my pneumonia-like, bronchitis-like, hacking cough, cold misery may be quickly abating.

In other words I have awakened feeling better than I did yesterday morn.

My mom called me last night  to wish me a Merry Christmas. I'm sure that was a big boost to my immune system.

Changing the subject from my personal misery to my favorite subject, that being the weather.

Overnight the National Weather Service has ratcheted up what is being predicted for Christmas Day in North Texas, adding Thunder and Lightning to the mix, joining snow and temperatures into the teens.

Below is the latest for Christmas from the National Weather Service...

...WINTER WEATHER OUTLOOK FOR DECEMBER 25TH...

A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION ON CHRISTMAS DAY. THERE WILL BE A CHANCE OF A COLD RAIN AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS NORTH TEXAS BEGINNING EARLY CHRISTMAS MORNING. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL BLAST THROUGH NORTH TEXAS AROUND MIDDAY AND SEND TEMPERATURES TUMBLING DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS. TO THE NORTH OF THE I-20 CORRIDOR...THE ATMOSPHERIC PROFILE WILL BECOME COLD ENOUGH FOR RAIN TO TRANSITION TO SNOW DURING THE AFTERNOON. WHILE MOST OF THE SNOW WILL BE LIGHT...PERIODS OF MODERATE SNOW WILL BE POSSIBLE FOR THE COUNTIES BORDERING THE RED RIVER. TO THE NORTH OF A BOWIE...TO MCKINNEY...TO EMORY LINE...SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES WILL BE POSSIBLE WITH THE HIGHEST TOTALS EXPECTED AROUND THE PARIS AREA. TO THE SOUTH AND SOUTHWEST OF THIS LINE...INCLUDING THE DFW METROPLEX AND I-20 CORRIDOR...LITTLE TO NO SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED.

TRAVEL MAY BE IMPACTED NORTH OF I-20 CHRISTMAS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WHERE THE HEAVIER PRECIPITATION OCCURS. TEMPERATURES OVERNIGHT WILL FALL INTO THE TEENS AND 20S WHICH WOULD ALSO CAUSE REFREEZING OF ANY REMAINING MOISTURE ON ROADS...RESULTING IN PATCHES OF BLACK ICE.

IN ADDITION TO THE CHANCE OF SNOW...VERY STRONG WINDS OF 25 TO 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED CHRISTMAS AFTERNOON AND NIGHT. THE FALLING TEMPERATURES AND STRONG WINDS WILL RESULT IN WIND CHILL VALUES IN THE TEENS AND 20S BY THE EVENING HOURS...AND EVEN LOWER OVERNIGHT.

BOTTOM LINE...WINTER PRECIPITATION IS FORECAST FOR THE AREA ROUGHLY ALONG AND NORTH OF THE I-20 CORRIDOR DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS OF CHRISTMAS DAY AND NIGHT. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ALONG AND NORTH OF A BOWIE...TO MCKINNEY...TO EMORY LINE.

THERE WILL BE A VERY TIGHT GRADIENT BETWEEN LOCATIONS THAT RECEIVE SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW AND THOSE THAT RECEIVE LITTLE TO NO SNOW. THE ULTIMATE TRACK OF THE UPPER LEVEL LOW WILL DETERMINE HOW FAR NORTH OR SOUTH THE SIGNIFICANT SNOW BAND WILL AFFECT THE REGION. PLEASE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECAST UPDATES.